Sk8man

Isn't it something that they don't even do their homework on these reels before releasing them for sale. I had a Convector right out of the box that the drag didn't engage....my buddy had trouble with his Clarion out of the box too.

For many years (after losing my good net on Seneca) I've filled the handle with styrofoam beads and peanuts and then hot glue the handle tip on....

Great results! What was the wind like out there this morning This afternoon the Canandaigua Lady seemed to struggle a bit leaving the dock at the north end here with a full load of passengers That wind was gusting pretty good this afternoon....

You might want to check out the NYS regs as far as the use of any baitfish not coming from a given water being used in. I think you need a receipt from bait dealer less than 10 days old stating they are virus free) and I believe anything used frozen or dried like the alewives or herring has to be commercially packaged.

Good going John....nothing like some action to keep the ladies from getting bored

The Coast Guard Auxillary is a volunteer organization. They have done the inspection on my boats a couple times in the past but I haven't seen them out recently. I wonder if the Coast Guard station at Sodus Point might have info on them and possibly a number?

Hey Kuba....sure looks like you were sitting on top of the whole"herd" The question now becomes what kind of fish were they? (e.g. smallmouth vs walleyes vs trout for example?....pretty good sized marks though)

I'm not a boat expert or mechanic but I have been around both environments for a long time (saltwater and freshwater). A few things come to mind. The first major thing is in the salt water environment corrosion is a major player in nearly every contact with metal of nearly any type (brass may be the exception). That is one reason they place "sacrificial" anodes on marine engine lower units so that the corrosive water eats up the anode instead of the engine parts. The salt water in addition to being corrosive also forms deposits (minerals etc.) and corrosion inside engines. Most engine manufacturers strongly suggest flushing out the engines with FRESH water after use to help prolong their life and help negate some of the harsh adverse effects. many people do not heed these warnings and continue to use their boats without regard to this. often this is damage that is unseen until the results rear their ugly head in the form of failures of various types or premature aging of parts. I've actually been with boat owners at Cape Cod who trailered their boats home and said "I've never worried about flushing the engine". Most marine hulls of boats in the saltwater environment are painted with special paint that helps keep marine life (e.g. barnacles etc.), various fungi moss, and molds from attaching and sometimes damaging the integrity of the finish or actual structure in some cases (fiberglass, wood, and aluminum hulls can be affected) Marine electronics, battery connections and wiring itself can be extremely adversely affected by the salt water ((e.g constant spray etc) and engine electronics can be greatly compromised by the salt and corrosion. Many of the places near salt water are very hot climates and severe heat and high water temps can effect the cooling of engines and again may fatigue them before they should. These are just general things off the top of my head that come to mind ...other folks may have more specific information or concerns.

I've used the Blood Run Sea Flea 30 lb mono for a couple weeks on two downrigger rods on both Canandaigua Lake and Lake Ontario. It works very well as an anti flea line...much better than wire for sure and I believe even better than 30 lb. Big Game mono. On the downside (at least with downrigger use) it has enormous stretch to it. I have to keep tightening up my lines a lot. At first I thought it was the release slipping or something but it is definitely significant line stretch ...more than I've ever seen in any other line. It's great for keeping the fleas off but the stretch is something to be aware of.